MOSCOW (AA): Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan held talks with theleaders of the Afghan Taliban in Moscow on Friday.
The Taliban delegation arrived in the Russian capital days after the U.S.abruptly scrapped the peace negotiations with the group.
U.S. President Donald Trump had said that peace talks with the Taliban are“dead” after cancelling a planned meeting with the Taliban outside of thenation’s capital, in retaliation for recent attack in Kabul, which killed adozen people, including a U.S. service member.
“The delegation is in Moscow. We have already met with Russian PresidentialEnvoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov to discuss the recent events regardingthe Afghan peace process,” Taliban spokesman Mohammad Suhail Shaheen toldreporters.
Read Top Stories
Russia, however, hoped that peace talks between the U.S. and the Talibanare “suspended”, and not “dead”, since Moscow considers the U.S.-Talibandeal as an “important step” that would pave the way to the nationalreconciliation and further comprehensive settlement of the Afghan crisis.
The raging Afghan conflict is in its 18th year, with thousands of liveslost and millions forced to flee their homes. The UN repeatedly calls forurgent need to seize opportunities for peace in the region.
